Turbulence is an unstable flight condition with rapid variations in either flight path or attitude. It can reduce an aircraft's margins of control and stability and hazardous levels can impart significant “g” loads on an airframe.
Turbulence detection is useful during approach to landing while the flight crew attempts to keep the aircraft on a stabilized flight path. Unstabilized approaches can lead to dangerous landing conditions such as tailstrikes, hard landings, long landings, and bounced landings.
Systems and methods are available for providing “go-around” instructions to an aircraft crew if an unsafe landing is being attempted. Traditionally, aircraft warnings are based on an aircraft's vertical speed and height above the ground, but an aircraft's turbulent environment is not considered.